Dual prescription drug busts hint at larger epidemic

The arrest last week of a Brockton man led to the arrest of two other people a few hours later

Staff Reporter

ABINGTON– In a matter of moments, much of the evidence was gone.

The man suspected of dealing prescription drugs in Abington had eaten the pills, police said. They could still see specks of white in his teeth.

Although Abington police arrested three people they said were dealing drugs recently, Deputy Chief Christopher Cutter said their actions demonstrate the difficulties of fighting a prescription drug epidemic.

“There are an awful lot of people out there selling prescriptions,” Cutter said. ““There’s quite a bit that we’re not able to get to.”

Last Friday, Abington police were able to arrest three people and remove a few dozen Klonopin and Percocet pills from the black market after anonymous tips came in alerting officers to drug dealing in the area of Carriage Hill Drive and Summer Street.

Police saw an unnamed female in her late 20s engage in apparent drug activity with Jose Rivera, 39 of Brockton, Cutter said. They arrested him after he initially tried to drive away.

Rivera was charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws, operating with a suspended license, failure to stop for police and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. The woman was not charged.

When officers stopped Rivera’s vehicle, Cutter said they saw in his teeth crushed Percocet, a painkiller made up of acetaminophen and the opiate oxycodone. Aside from remnants, Rivera allegedly swallowed all the drugs he had.

An investigation did determine that the woman was attempting to buy $220 worth of Percocet, Cutter said. Street value of the pills fluctuates depending on their potency.

Police also noticed messages on Rivera’s cell phone indicating that two other people were looking to sell him prescription pills.

Text messages from the pair led officers to believe they had 40 Klonopin to sell, and when police surprised them in an Abington parking lot, the pills, prescribed for anxiety and seizures, were clearly visible in the lap of Kelly Isgur, 38 of Brockton, Cutter said.

Also arrested was Isgur’s husband, Russell Isgur, 48 of Avon. They were both charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute a class B substance and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

An additional 46 Klonopin pills were also found in the couple’s possession, Cutter said. Police determined that the pills were picked up with legal prescriptions at a pharmacy in Brockton just minutes before the Isgurs contacted Rivera.

“The evidence shows he was dealing quite a bit of narcotics,” Cutter said, including heroin.

Five years ago, the Abington Police had three detectives assigned 20 cases each, Cutter said. Today the department has no detectives and dedicates staff to drug investigations as time is available.

“We’re doing whatever we can with what we have,” Cutter said.

Joseph Markman may be reached at jmarkman@enterprisenews.com.

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